Jon Jones does not miss with response to Tom Aspinall eye poke

Tom Aspinall's first defence of his heavyweight world title ended in disaster at UFC 321 and former champion Jon Jones wasted no time in making his feelings felt

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Former UFC champion Jon Jones took a subtle dig at Tom Aspinall after his first heavyweight title defence ended prematurely.

Aspinall was putting his belt on the line for the first time when he took on Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 on Saturday night - but the bout was stopped and ruled a no-contest when the Frenchman poked Aspinall in the eyes. The outcome was a bitter blow for Aspinall who had been out of action for over a year.

Having defended his interim belt against Curtis Blaydes last summer, Aspinall waited for Jones to make a decision on his future. Ultimately, the American retired, leaving Aspinall to be upgraded to full champion and take on Gane instead of the former two-weight ruler.

But after Gane had made a promising start to his third title challenge, he poked Aspinall in both eyes, leaving the Brit struggling to see. The fight was called off in the first round and Aspinall was immediately taken to hospital.

Jones, meanwhile, issued a subtle response, changing his Twitter profile picture to a duck with an eye patch, in reference to Aspinall's damaged eye. He also called for a fight with light-heavyweight champion Alex Pereira who is plotting a move to the heavyweight division.

"Alex, I’d be down to bring the highest skill level to the White House. I appreciate the respect you showed, let’s dance," wrote Jones, referencing the UFC's plan to stage an event in President Donald Trump's back garden next summer. Aspinall, meanwhile, will be ordered to rematch Gane as soon as possible following the anticlimactic end to their first encounter.

The Brit was left furious with the jeering crowd on Saturday night, venting: "Guys I just got f***ing poked knuckle deep in the eyeball. Why are you booing? What am I supposed to do about it? I didn’t do the f***ing poke. I can’t see. This is bulls***. The fight was just getting going. Complete bulls***. I’m p***** off."

Gane, meanwhile, insisted he had not deliberately poked Aspinall. "I didn't do it on purpose," he explained. "I know what it is to have an eye poke because when I fought Derrick Lewis, I got an eye poke, and I was fighting two Derrick Lewis's for a full round. So, I know how it is."